


Everything Left to Lose

by DragonsandInk



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: AU, But especially Eugene, But she tries to be, Canon compliant kidnapping, Canon-Typical Violence, Cassandra has valid emotions, F/M, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Rapunzel is not perfect, Some description of wounds, Varian is just trying to help, Zhan Tiri is a jerk, everyone is valid, nothing too graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:53:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27675640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonsandInk/pseuds/DragonsandInk
Summary: Cassandra is just angry. She's made her mistakes, she's acted in aggression, but that's nothing Varian can't relate to.If he can just reach out to her--if she would just listen--then maybe he can change her mind.While she still has everything left to lose.---AU where 'Nothing Left to Lose' goes a little differently and Varian lunges at the chance to stop her from making the same mistakes he did.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 23
Kudos: 76





	1. I Know What it's Like, But You Are Making a Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> So, uh, welcome to this. I've spent days editing this down and I just need to call it good now or else I'll go crazy. Hopefully when I read it over next week I won't want to burn it all and start from scratch!
> 
> Warning Tags for this chapter:  
> -Canon compliant violence  
> -Manipulation  
> -Gas-lighting  
> -Self-depreciation

The tower sang with each step they took towards the top. Every tap of Cassandra’s heels shot a bolt of electricity up the walls, joining the other veins in the rocks that pulsed in time to a sluggish heart. The eerie blue lit the path enough to show their path while swallowing up the stairs behind them into the pit below. Rocks rumbled as they clashed and slotted together, flashes of cyan slicing the shadows like lightning through a storm cloud.

Cassandra held Varian’s shoulder in a vice-grip as she lead them upwards. What did she expect him to do? Run down the stairs in the dark and tear his way through the unbreakable walls? Yes, of course, right after he magically crumbled the cuffs on his wrists.

Really, he should’ve been more scared. But, for some reason, Varian couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that Cassandra wanted to hurt him. Even with the slight concussion after being knocked out and the taste of truth serum lingering on the back of his tongue. The part of him that stayed up until ungodly hours of the night to avoid the nightmares waiting for him wondered if she’d felt like this when he had turned against them. And how could he be mad after thinking of that?

Well, no, he was definitely mad. But he was doing his best to control it.

He hadn’t realized that they came to the top of the staircase until the wall opened to let them through. Cassandra led them into a dark throne room, decorated with black rocks jutting out at random points, the tower’s equivalent of milling courtiers and nobles. At the center, a single, impressive throne dominated the space, raised on a dais with a tall, lopsided arrangement leading to the ceiling. Above, the rocks clenched together like the branches of dead trees, allowing natural light to compete with the blue glow that lit their surroundings.

With a wave of Cassandra’s hand, the doorway sealed seamlessly shut; then she spun him to face her. Varian tensed as she took his hands, only for the cuffs around his wrists to snap and disintegrate.

Right. It’s not as if he posed any kind of threat to her. Part of him took offense to that.

As he rubbed his wrists, Cassandra pressed down on his shoulder again. “Look, I know none of this is your fault and I don’t want to hurt you.” As if to accentuate her words, the sharp ends of her gloves dug through his shirt and into his skin. “So, when Rapunzel gets here, stay out of my way.”

Soft blue met electric cyan, each searching the other silently and finding defiance in one another.

Lips pressing into a thin line, Cassandra nodded as if he’d agreed with her then turned toward the throne—her throne.

Everything about this was wrong. When he’d first asked Rapunzel why Cassandra hadn’t returned to Corona with them, he’d been given a vague answer that the woman had split from the group in the Dark Kingdom. He’d never expected her to show up in his temporary lab to steal the Demanitus scroll.

And steal him too.

A headache pulsed from the bump on the back of his head, making it difficult to keep up. Still, he’d gotten the gist of it. Cassandra had the Moonstone. And she had a bone to pick with Rapunzel.

The two had been closer than sisters the last time he’d seen them together. No way she could hurt the princess.

He took a breath—and a chance.

“Cassandra, you’re angry,” he started, dogging her steps until she stopped with a snort.

“What gave you that idea?” she bit back.

“I know what it’s like—being angry and wanting to lash out. But this—” he gestured to the black chamber full of spikes and the smell of stale ocean. “This isn’t the way to go about it.”

She laughed but he clenched his fists and stood his ground. Finally, she turned to him, a cruel smirk rising to her face. “You think you deserve to tell me what’s right and wrong?”

“Being angry is…” he grasped helplessly at the air. Memories of cutting himself on every edge he pushed himself to bubbled up like tar as he tried to understand her. “It feels good—so much better than anything else. But you start drowning in the hate and you make decisions you normally wouldn’t and things keep getting worse so you keep being angry because otherwise you have to admit you were wrong. Then you lose your way and lose control and realize—” His hands clenched in front of him as if clutching at the wisps of what could have been. “—you realize there’s nothing left to lose.”

Eyebrows drawn tightly together and jaw clenched, Cassandra clearly struggled not to interrupt him. But she listened. And that was all the encouragement he needed.

Varian cast aside the sticky pit of emotions that threatened to choke him and continued. “Cassandra, please. I know you’re still a good person.” At that, she wrapped her arms around herself. “Please, tell me what’s happening. Whatever’s going on, I want to help.”

She tensed. “Why would you want to help me?”

Stepping forward carefully, as if approaching a wild animal, Varian kept his expression open. “Because no one offered any help to me when I needed it.”

Cassandra’s face fell, the walls held in place by violence and retribution crumbling to expose an unsure and hesitant woman. She opened her mouth, then stopped, sharp eyes flicking to the side and focusing on empty air. Then, Varian witnessed her emotions change at a rapid rate.

Understanding and hesitance dissolved into confusion which quickly stumbled into rage.

Then her hands closed into fists and she advanced with a gait full of heartbreak and vile fury. 

“Is that what you think of me?” she shouted, heedless of the rocks that burst from the floor at her heels. 

Varian stumbled away, head spinning as he processed the heel-turn. “What—” 

“That I’m not in control? That I’m not as good as you?” 

“Cass, I never said—” 

“Well guess what? I am in control. Not you. And never Rapunzel!” She grasped at the stone on her chest. It shimmered silver at her touch. “This is my destiny now. I chose this. I made all this!” She swept her arms out to indicate the tower. 

Varian’s heart thumped in his throat. This isn’t her, he reminded himself. Anger led people down dark paths and if Rapunzel didn’t hold his emotions against him then he would do the same for Cassandra. “This is your choice,” he tried to appease, “But have you stopped to think if it’s the right one?” 

“What does it matter?” she snapped, then laughed, unhinged. “I make one decision for myself and now the whole kingdom’s burning. Is that how it is? Everyone’s so obsessed with Rapunzel that the moment the world isn’t turning around her it crumbles!?” 

Trying desperately to pick apart Cassandra’s mad ramblings, Varian clung to a single phrase. “No one’s talking about Rapunzel. This is about you.” 

“Of course it is!” she hissed, a flash of blue punctuating her words. Behind her, a rock sliced upwards, crashing into another and scattering both. “They fawn over her like she’s the sun itself and you should just be content to bask in her rays. But in reality, she’s selfish, condescending, and only pretends to care until it doesn’t benefit her anymore. You of all people know that.” 

Memories of stumbling through a blizzard, chastised and alone while his father suffered in his stead shoved their way forward without welcome. She’s right, the part of his mind that couldn’t let go whispered. Even now, after Rapunzel had gone to such lengths to make up her mistakes to him, it was hard to argue. 

So he replied, “You’re not wrong…” The triumphant smile that stretched across Cassandra’s face made his chest burn. “But that doesn’t mean it’s right either!” 

But his admittance only (confirmed) her. “There’s no talking it out or peaceful solutions. After all I‘ve done—after all she’s done—this is the only way to be heard.” 

Her words, reminiscent of those he’d once exchanged with the queen of Corona, slapped him in the face. “That doesn’t really sound like it’s your choice then.” 

Whatever Varian expected, it wasn’t to be lifted up by the front of his shirt, Cassandra growling into his face. “It is my choice! My destiny! No one else's!” 

She shoved him roughly and, with his heart thudding painfully in his ears, he reached out to her. “Cassie, you have so much to hold onto—” 

His hand wrapped around her bicep for only a moment before the black rocks slammed into him, throwing him backwards. Varian collided with the ground harshly, the breath jarred out of his throat and leaving him gasping. Once his lungs decided to cooperate again, he pushed his shaking body back up. 

Previously frozen as she waited for him to move, Cassandra now clenched her teeth. “Hate me if you want, Varian, but I’m not waiting for victory anymore. There’s nothing holding me back. I’ve got nothing left to lose.” 

Varian could feel her slipping through his fingers, the distance she’d opened up like a chasm between them. He wanted to jump that pit, scale that mountain, and hold her hand just to prove she didn’t stand alone. “I’m still here,” he said, voice breaking as he desperately tried to reach her. “Cassie, please, we’re friends—” 

She barked out a laugh, equal parts self-depreciating and mocking. “Friends? You really think we’re friends? Did you happen to forget the time you tried to crush me to death in the hand of an automaton?” 

There it was. The acknowledgement of what he had done and the broken ties between them. Varian hadn’t seen her in over a year; she had traveled the world, discovering herself, while he served his sentence and spent limitless time reflecting on his mistakes. Yet, even with the distance and regrets wedged between them, he felt closer to her now more than ever before. 

Because if anyone understood betrayal, it was him. 

He didn’t flinch at the accusation. Rather, a flash of anger curled his hands into fists and he took a brave step forward. “Friends also don’t kidnap and drug each other.” 

Snarling, she loomed over him. “So that makes us enemies.” 

“No, that makes us even!” 

Cassandra jerked back as if he’d slapped her. Her jaw worked, confliction eagerly swept aside by steely frustration. “I don’t need your forgiveness.” 

Arms crossed, Varian scowled at her. “You’re getting it anyway.” 

“What is this then?” she said, clawing at the air in frustration. “You think you can change my mind about everything I’m meant to accomplish? You think you can waltz in here and fix everything like it’s one of your weird inventions?” 

“You can’t waltz while you’re cuffed,” he bit out before he could stop himself. When her eyes flashed dangerously, he ground out, “I’m not trying to—I just want to be here for you. I don’t want you to be alone.” 

Lips pressed into a fine line, Cassandra glared down at him. “And what’s your plan for that? Are you going to build me an army of automatons? Whip up some crazy alchemy to take over the castle? Give me pointers on attempted regicide? How about we start easy and you can tell me where I went wrong in your kidnapping?” 

“Well at least I didn’t give the Queen a concussion,” he retorted. His temper spiraled, fueling the frustration and bringing words to his tongue he normally wouldn’t dare to utter. “And yeah, let’s talk about your plans. A giant tower that you can see from every corner of Corona? Stupid. A beacon for all the warriors in the kingdom to come swarming. Attacking Rapunzel? For what? Where does that get you in the end? A dead princess and a kingdom that wants you strung up? And kidnapping the only person who could possibly be on your side? I can’t think of a more idiotic move.” 

It felt good, to let his anger speak for him again. To stop fussing over his every little action and lash out freely. Staying calm in the face of Cassandra’s abuse had done nothing but bruise both his skin and ego while she remained as unmoving as ever. His bitter words wouldn’t help either of them in the long run. He knew it was wrong…but it felt so right. 

Cassandra listened to his rant, arms crossed tightly; but when he finished, her shoulders dropped. “You’re on my side?” 

Heat rose to his cheeks, either out of embarrassment or residual ire. Maybe he had gotten through to her? “Of course I am, Cassie.” 

She bit her lip in contemplation. “Right…you said you agree with me…” The azure of her irises snapped to him. “And you have every reason to hate them. All of them. Especially Rapunzel.”

A stone sunk to the bottom of his stomach as he realized what she meant. “No, wait, Cassie, that’s not what I—”

“They betrayed you too.”

Old hurt cried out before he could stuff it back down. He stuttered to answer her. “N-no, I mean—that’s not—I forgave them.”

She leaned down to his eye-level. The electric blue transfixed him and sparked with a flash of victory.

“Did you really?”

***

Cassandra hurriedly stifled her mounting glee as Varian crumpled at her question. The eye-contact they'd kept up finally shattered as his dull, judging gaze no longer matching her icy glare. His confidence leaked away with frightening haste as her words sunk into him like the fangs of a poisonous spider. 

“I-I—I did. I d-did!” His stutter had reappeared as well. 

Victory in sight, Cassandra grasped at the hesitance. “But did they deserve it?” 

Finally, he looked away, his teeth clacking together in place of an answer. 

Was this real? She’d been mocking him, but could he actually end up helping her? His brilliance had been a pain on the opposite end of the battlefield, but to have him under her wing now would be a better boon than she ever hoped for in this war. 

Varian had fought against Corona before. And he’d very nearly won. The two of them together? No one could stop them. Not even Rapunzel. 

He just needed to remember why he hated Corona in the first place. And she had plenty of hatred to share. 

“They didn’t,” she said with complete confidence. “None of them deserve your forgiveness. Especially Rapunzel.” 

His mouth twisted into a grimace, hands wringing together. “That’s-that’s wrong. She t-trusted me to help. She forgave me.” 

“She used you like she uses everyone. If you weren’t useful to her then you’d still be in that cell. Has she even apologized for what she did to you?” 

“I—sh-she doesn’t have to. She didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who—” 

“No, Varian,” Cassandra grasped his arms. “They hurt you. They abandoned you. And they told you to apologize for it. You have every right to be angry at them.” She could see him breaking, his nervous ticks juxtaposed by his tightly clenched jaw. 

Her fingers dug into his sleeves. “They deserve it,” she said, breathless. “They deserve your anger and your hate. After everything they’ve done, they deserve to suffer.” 

Varian’s fists clenched so tight the leather of his gloves pulled at the seams. “Cass, I…” 

Giddiness bubbled in her chest. “Yes?” 

He slumped, as if his strings had been cut, and met her gaze: his eyes too old and knowing for a kid his age. “I’m tired of being angry.” 

The bubbles burst. No, wait, she could still salvage this. She could make this work. He was just…tired. In one day, he’d been knocked out, dragged through the woods, and drugged. He needed time to process and then he’d see things her way.

“Cassandra.” The enchanted girl, who had been watching them with pursed lips, spoke up, “Do not forget that the boy is bait for the Sundrop.”

Yes. Don’t lose sight of the big picture. Rapunzel could be riding through the forest that very moment—if not to recover Varian then for the scroll stuffed in his backpack. Then what? Cassandra hadn’t exactly planned what to do or say when the princess’s little team showed up: let alone what she’d do with Varian afterwards. Put Rapunzel in her place, maybe deliver some ultimatum, then let them go along their merry way? The thought of simply releasing the kid to run into Rapunzel’s arms boiled her blood.

Rapunzel took everything from her. This time, Cassandra would take something of hers.

“Rapunzel will come,” she told the floating girl. “And Varian will stay here.”

He tensed. “What?”

Cassandra moved her grip to his shoulders, turning him around and leading him to the other end of the throne room.

“Very well,” the girl said, disdainfully. “I’m certain you have a plan for him?”

“I do,” she said, releasing him as they reached the wall. Taking a few steps back, she gestured to the rocks.

Nothing happened. A short growl rumbled from her chest as she repeated the motion, sharper. The rocks responded this time, thin tendrils spiking out from the floor and twisting together into a cage resembling twining branches to the ceiling. Varian could be ridiculously determined and she wouldn’t put it past him to try climbing all the way up and over.

He wrapped his hands around the bars, head ducked and blue eyes boring into her sadly. “Cassie…”

This was just until he saw reason. Just until he understood. “You’ll stay in there until this is sorted.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way.”

She turned away. “For now, it does.”

“Cassandra,” the ghost girl’s voice bordered on excitement, “they’re here.”

Heart picking up speed, she followed the child to a portion of the wall and parted it. Keeping one hand on the wall, she leaned over the edge. Far below, five specks idled around the base of the tower.

Varian’s voice picked up from behind her. “Is that—are they here already?” The hopeful edge to his words pricked her like an embroidery needle in her palm.

“They can’t get in the tower,” she answered, a satisfactory buzz filling her as they helplessly loitered in the cove.

“Let them in,” the girl hissed delightedly.

“What?” Cassandra ignored the twist in her stomach at the thought of facing Rapunzel so soon.

The child patiently smiled, folding her hands over her skirts. “You should make her suffer and regret how she treated you. Unless your ambitions have changed?”

The fires of retribution in her soul burned away any remaining worry. She needed to see Rapunzel’s face as she took everything away from her.

Waving her hand, she intended to close the window but instead a spike shot up from the ground; it smashed into the wall above it, creating cracks and an imperfect seal. Cassandra growled. Annoying, but not a priority.

“Wait, where are you going?”

She didn’t bother to acknowledge Varian, strutting purposefully towards the hidden stairs to the ground floor. “To let our guests in.”

“W-wait!”

Her teeth clenched automatically at the word. Her already boiling fury steaming out for a split second. “No!” she roared, whirling around. “I’m done waiting!”

“Then don’t,” he quickly amended before his face scrunched in confusion at his own words. A fog crossed his eyes, either from his tiredness or the concussion he probably had. “I-I mean, just think for a second. It’s not a good idea to fight them right now.”

“And why not?” she demanded sharply, her feet switching to bring her back to his cage.

The enchanted girl turned up her nose at the boy. “He’s trying to distract you from your true goals.”

Before she could snap, Varian spoke over her, “Because you’ve only had the full power of the Moonstone for a few hours and Rapunzel has had her powers her whole life. But you know her better than anyone: do you think a few rocks would stop her?”

“I’m more powerful than her!” Cassandra snarled, burying the pain that came with the truth of his words.

“Yes, you are,” the child’s voice whispered tantalizingly in her ear.

Varian continued steadily, “Maybe you are. But you know how stubborn she can be. You know how she can turn impossible situations around at the last second. Are you really going to risk everything when you’ve just gotten the incantation?”

“The incantation is enough. You have the power to destroy her,” the girl promised.

She had the power. The energy pulsing from the stone on her chest assured her of that. But Varian had a point. She knew Rapunzel’s determination saw her through the darkest of times and strongest of enemies. Even with the threat of the rocks dogging their every step, she always side-stepped them at the last second.

Grasping her right hand, she recalled ribbons of hair black as night and her soul being pulled out on waning breaths. If Rapunzel used the decay incantation while in the tower…The spike through the window on the other side of the room taunted her.

The air held still as two children awaited her answer. Tossing her head, she narrowed a glare at Varian. “The longer it takes to face her, the longer you’ll be here.”

His hands tightened on the bars. “I know.”

“Cassandra,” the girl chided, a gentle scrunch in her eyebrows as she floated into her vision, “don’t tell me you’re allowing this child to make decisions for you?”

“I’m not,” she gnashed out, then bit her tongue. “But I don’t have all the secrets of the Moonstone yet. If I unlock its true strength then I can destroy her.” The thought electrified her, drawing up a new smile. “It’s not enough just to make Rapunzel regret. I want to humiliate her in front of everyone who thinks she can do no wrong. I want them to lose hope in her and for her to know what it feels like to have no one to turn to. I want her to suffer and for Corona to fall.”

The enchanted girl clearly disagreed, but gave a small curtsy. Varian’s eyes pendulated between discontent and a tired haze.

It didn’t matter. She didn’t need either of their approval.

“Let’s see how long it takes for them to give up. Soon enough they’ll give up hope,” she said, pleased that she still won in this situation.

Varian backed away from the cage as she approached, his legs shaking noticeably. He needed rest and she needed to practice the limits of these new powers. But first, she had to address the trojan horse in his bag.

“Give me the scroll,” she demanded.

Clearly, he felt better than she thought because he still had the gall to roll his eyes at her. “Why? So we can debate Demanitus’s notes on the potential chemical composition of the rocks?”

When Cassandra only narrowed her glare, Varian ducked his head and dug through his backpack. He bit his lip and drew the scroll out with trembling fingers. She snatched it up.

Tucking it into her belt for now, she said, “I heard you mention a fourth incantation. I’m not stupid enough to let you figure it out without supervision.”

Rather than argue, Varian sighed. “I don’t know where it is. It might not even be on the scroll.”

The enchanted girl jutted in, “It’s there. I’m certain he knows it too.”

“If he did, he would have given it to Rapunzel already. And he’s still being affected by the truth serum anyway. He can’t lie,” she answered, then nodded to him. “You’ll get it back once I can trust you again.”

Wringing his hands, he looked away. “Will you ever? If you’re right and Rapunzel hasn’t forgiven me then how can I expect anyone to?”

There it was. That fear and self-consciousness she needed to turn him around. Cassandra reached out to him. When he flinched out of her range, she grasped the bars instead.

“Varian,” she said, ordering his attention even as she took a softer tone. He peered up at her and she forced a smile. “If there’s anyone out there who can understand what you did, it’s me. And if anyone can forgive you, it’s me. Okay?”

He hugged himself and took a further step away, but nodded.

That would have to do for now.

Keeping her movements light, she retreated from the cell. “I’ll be back with some food and water.” He didn’t acknowledge her this time and she took that as her cue to leave.

The floor opened to one of the many sets of stairs that led to the ground level where she’d hidden her supplies. She had enough food for a few days and with the waterfall outside they had water. Who knows? Maybe the kid knew some alchemy trick so they wouldn’t have to boil it to clean it. Not that she’d trust him with her drinking water anytime soon, but still.

Cassandra was confident he’d see things her way eventually.

“You are making a mistake,” the enchanted girl said, glower twisting her pretty face.

A rumble of worry halted her lonely steps.

“What do you mean?”

The girl adjusted her gloves with a frown. “Not engaging with the Sundrop. Keeping the prisoner here. Taking the scroll away from its potential translator.”

Cassandra avoided her stare as the girl listed her qualms.

Her ghostly lips twisted up at the hesitation before schooling her expression once more. She asked in a chiding tone, “You trust me, don’t you? I am the only one on your side, after all.”

Blue hair whipped up as Cassandra met her with wide eyes. “I do.”

“Then why hesitate to take what’s yours?”

Cassandra’s fists shook. The moonstone pulsed at the center of her chest, eager to face the Sundrop. That’s what she wanted too, right? To face Rapunzel and watch her submit?

“Oh, Cassandra, dear, I thought we were over this.”

Following the girl’s disappointed gaze, she found the rocks at her feet taking on a red hue. The fear rocks.

Swiftly, she descended the stairs, echoing steps leaving the bloody glow behind. “I am over it. Rapunzel doesn’t scare me.”

A featherlight whisper hovered just above her ear. “But something does.”

Cassandra spun on her heel, hand slicing the air. Black rocks burst from the walls, crushing her red footsteps into dust. “I’m not afraid of anyone or anything! Especially not Rapunzel! I’m doing this because these powers are still new. I have the incantation but it’s stupid to run into battle with a weapon you’ve never trained with. If I’m bringing her down, I don’t want to take any chances.”

The enchanted girl turned up her nose. “I find it highly inappropriate for you to take orders from your prisoner.”

Scowling, Cassandra argued, “He’s not my prisoner. And he’s not ordering me. This is my decision.”

“Is it?” The girl blocked her way, sincerity oozing off her. “Or are you allowing him to manipulate you?”

Electric blue energy burst out like water escaping a shattered vase. “He’s the one in a cage! Not me! I’m in control!” A twist of sick pleasure came as the girl finally backed off. Cassandra took a moment to straighten her spine, the power of the stance flowing through her. “I know what I’m doing. It’s under control.” She strutted down the stairs. “Before long, Varian will be happy to help me destroy Corona again. He almost managed it by himself last time, so with me guiding him we can finish the job.”

“Making friends is a weakness,” the girl said, hiding her tone behind clenched teeth.

Cassandra stepped onto the ground floor, lighting the space up. Starting from her feet, waves of teal raced across the floor and climbed up the walls. “He’s not a friend,” she said, the stone floor parting like a wooden puzzle at her gesture. “He’s just a tool.”

***

As the floor shifted into place behind Cassandra, Varian collapsed.

Letting his head drop into shaking hands, he tried not to think about how this could get any worse and failed spectacularly.

Flashes of his time in Corona’s prison already began to haunt him. Stuffed into a space too small for his mind with nothing to keep him company besides what he had in his travel bag. And Cassandra…She was unstable; proven with her periodic chats with empty air. Even worse, she had the moon incantation and therefore complete control over the rocks.

Convincing her that she needed to wait to fight Rapunzel was nothing short of a miracle.

He rubbed his face. The shaking hadn’t stopped. He needed to stop thinking about his helplessness. Or how dangerous Cassandra had become. Or how no one would save him—no one could save him—

A small chirp had him gasping out of his spiraling thoughts. Pascal peered up at him worriedly, his small foot pressing against Varian’s shoe in a show of comfort.

With a wet choke, Varian scooped up the lizard and held him close. Rapunzel came to save him! He knew Cass lied! He knew they still cared about him!

Cradling Pascal in one hand, he swiped the tears from his face with the other. Pascal wouldn’t tell anyone he’d gotten teary, but it was embarrassing none the less.

The chameleon patted his thumb before hopping down and scurrying to a scrap of paper on the floor. Recognizing Rapunzel’s soft handwriting, Varian quickly scanned the note.

Varian, we’re trying to get in but there are no openings. We won’t give up on you. Stay strong. We don’t blame you for giving up the incantation.

Tears threatened to spill again only to be scrubbed away. Folding the paper carefully, he tucked it safely into his apron pocket. Maybe keeping it only tempted fate to tear it away from him, but for now he couldn’t bear to throw away the only piece of comfort he’d gotten since this began.

But even with the warm hope in his chest, he had to focus. He wanted to be saved, but if Rapunzel rushed in now then she and Cassandra would fight. And, after witnessing Cassandra build the black tower with her bare hands, he couldn’t envision Rapunzel beating her.

Pulling his bag close, he dug around for his own scrap of paper and pencil. His heart burned as he considered his words. Effectively, he had to convince them to give up. Which, in the long run, meant committing to snapping the crazy girl out of her angsty villain phase.

He rubbed his face. Because if anyone could change her mind, it was him.

At the very least, he owed it to Cassandra to try to help. If not to make up for how he treated her in Old Corona then to prevent her from repeating his mistakes.

Once finished, his letter took up both sides of the paper. After rolling it up tightly and tying it with a bit of string, he held it out to Pascal.

Rather than take the message, the lizard climbed up his arm to rub against Varian’s cheek.

His heart panged painfully. He missed Ruddiger. And his dad. When would he see them again? When would he see anyone other than Cassandra again?

Before his spiraling thoughts made him tear up again, Varian scooped up Pascal and rose to his feet.

“Thanks, little buddy,” he said, holding him up to the wall near one of the windows. “Look after Ruddiger for me, okay?”

Pascal dutifully saluted before scooping up the note and beginning his climb up to the window.

Varian watched until the sliver of evening sky swallowed up the flash of green. With a heavy heart, he slid down the wall to the floor, trying and failing not to listen to the lonely silence of his cell.

***

Rapunzel lifted her hands to receive Pascal from the tower’s wall. Her faithful friend collapsed in her palms, panting from the long trip down and dropping the note in his mouth. Setting the paper aside, Rapunzel softly petted his head with his thumb. “You did a great job, Pascal,” she cooed, “We’ll get you a fruit feast as soon as we get back to the castle. You rest for now, okay?”

His exhausted smile settled the worry in her stomach a bit. Gently, she tucked him away into a comfortable spot in her bag. With her best friend taken care of and her heart in her throat, she finally turned her attention to the letter.

She had known immediately that Pascal accomplished his mission from the size of the note. Her fingers clenched unconsciously on the paper. What could Varian possibly have to say? That Cassandra was beyond saving? That she had plans to destroy Corona now that she had the incantation, or— 

Eugene’s rough hands covered her own. “Hey Sunshine, take it easy. We don’t know what it says until you open it up.” 

Where would she be without this beautiful man in her life? Expelling a shaky breath helped a little, but only reading the letter could erase—or confirm—her fears.

“You’re right,” she said, smiling at him briefly. Using the waning light of the sun to read, she unfurled the paper. Only to become aware of a new problem. Varian’s handwriting somehow managed to slant and curl at the same time. Had he written it in a cipher?

“Does that say ‘tower’ or ‘disaster’?“ Eugene asked, horror lacing his voice. 

Before Rapunzel could answer, the note disappeared from her grip. 

“Let us read it!” Angry, the note-snatcher, exclaimed. She and Catalina hovered over the paper, making small sounds as they worked down the page. After much humming and hawing, Angry lifted it away dismissively. “This is worse than chicken scratch! It’s useless!” 

Eugene plucked it from her hold. “Since when have you known how to read anyway?” she stuck out her tongue as Catalina pounced for it again. Only for it to leave her grasp immediately. 

Lance scoffed, holding the paper above his head in a game of keep away from the twin menaces. “It can’t be as bad as Marcie’s handwriting. Remember Marcie, Eugene?” 

“The little rat always got top grades because she would dictate the correct answer and never had papers!” he answered with a disproportionate amount of animosity. 

“Her hand was backwards on her wrist,” Lance told the girls sagely. 

“Awful handwriting, but made great pottery,” Eugene conceded. 

The girls giggled at the image, allowing Lance to scan the contents of the letter. He slowly devoured the page, eyebrows drawing wrinkles across his forehead.

“What’s it say?” Rapunzel asked, clasping her hands together.

Somberly, Lance summarized the letter with a sobriety she rarely saw in him. “He says Cassandra has complete control over the rocks now. She wants to fight but he convinced her not to. He says…she’s been talking to thin air. She gets really upset after talking to herself and she’s been very violent. She’s trying to convince Varian to help her attack Corona.”

Rapunzel’s heart flew into her throat. Images of automatons and creeping amber rose, unbidden, to her mind. Varian, with his ability to strike where it hurt most; and Cassandra, who knew her better than anyone. If the two of them banded together against Corona—

“Seriously? V? What does she think some nerd is gonna to do for her?” Angry asked with a scoff.

“Explosions?” Catalina offered, followed by twin smiles lighting up.

“You girls weren’t there for the battle of old Corona,” Eugene said, dark tone not matching his worried expression.

“We just got him back,” Rapunzel said quietly. For a moment, no one said anything, then a warm hand encased her own while the other gently brought her gaze up to gentle, chocolate eyes.

Eugene smiled, pushing past his own worries to support her. “We haven’t lost him yet. So don’t give up before we’ve barely started.”

Leaning into his touch, she savored every inch of his comfort. She really didn’t deserve him. “We haven’t given up,” she said, resolution returning.

After she nodded at Lance to continue, he hesitated. “That’s pretty much it. All that’s left is that she took the Demanitus scroll from him.”

Despite having finished, Lance still clearly had something to say. Eugene addressed his best friend, “Lance?”

The larger man shook his head. “Sorry, but it’s bothering me that he didn’t mention if he’s alright.”

A flash of shame had Rapunzel gazing at her feet again. She’d been so worried about Cassandra and the safety of Corona that she had completely overlooked what should have been her first question. Varian was a tough kid but this had to be hard even for him.

She recalled his joy when he first saw Cassandra. How he would have ran to her if Rapunzel hadn’t stopped him. Regret joined the mix of negativity swirling in her heart. She should have been more upfront with him about what had happened in the Dark Kingdom from the moment he jumped at the chance to decipher the Demanitus scroll for her.

From the start, she’d kept information from him. It just…hurt too much to think of Cassandra’s betrayal, let alone try to convince someone else that her best friend wanted to destroy everything they’d worked so hard to rebuild.

And though their broken friendship healed by the day, Rapunzel didn’t feel comfortable baring her heart to Varian at that degree yet. Still, he deserved to know what he got himself into with translating the scroll.

She had treated him unfairly. And once again, he took the brunt of the consequences that came of her actions. Or lack thereof.

Biting her lip, Rapunzel tracked the top of the tower, halfway hoping to see a sign from its residents. She knew too well what Varian must be experiencing. And how unfair was it that she had condemned him to the fate she had so narrowly avoided?

“Hey, no, don’t do that,” Eugene said, snapping her out of her musings.

“Huh?” she asked. Had she missed something?

His hand rubbed her arm, the warmth like the sun’s rays on her skin. “You’re blaming yourself,” he explained.

“I’m not—” she started, then sighed.

He smiled. “Yes, you are. You’re not at fault for any of this. If anyone needs to answer for their actions today, it’s Cassandra, she’s crossed a line today.”

Rapunzel hummed, not finding the strength to argue. She wanted to say that she would drag Cassandra home no matter how far down this dark road she traveled. But Eugene and Varian had gotten close these past months. Eugene even called them “Team Awesome” without sarcasm anymore. She didn’t want to argue when he probably worried the most out of all of them.

Ignoring Varian’s warning not to engage, Rapunzel approached the immaculate sides of the tower. Her hand pressed against the smooth, cold surface. The rocks no longer responded to her; still, she reached out to the woman on the other side.

With a heavy exhale, she dropped her head onto the cold, unforgiving wall. “Please Cassandra,” she pleaded. “Just let me in.”

No response.

“Maybe you should have said ‘let down your hair’,” Eugene said, stepping behind her. “In my experience, that one always works.” His tone didn’t quite reach that easy, joking lilt he so naturally possessed. She still appreciated it.

Rapunzel swiped at her eyes, surprised to find them dry, and addressed the group.

“We’re not giving up,” she said in a stronger voice than she knew she possessed. “We’ll come up with a way to get up the tower. Then we’ll rescue Varian and get through to Cassandra.” With their determined nods, she went on. “In the meantime, you two should get home,” she directed at the girls, who groaned.

Lance threw his arms around their shoulders. “C’mon girls, I’ll make you dinner!”

The once rebellious expressions morphed into hesitance.

“What about V?” Catalina asked him.

“Like Rapunzel said, there’s nothing we can do right now except think of other ways to get in. Which we don’t have to do outside and with empty stomachs.”

The girls agreed, though not happily, and the three said their goodbyes before leaving the cove.

Once his best friend and the girls disappeared through the overgrown tunnel, Eugene checked on Rapunzel. “Are we headed back to the castle?”

She shook her head. “Someone has to tell Quirin what happened.”

“Oh, yeah, right. Let’s go tell the mountain of a man that his son got kidnapped and we have no clue how to get him back. I’m sure that will go over well.”

“We’ll save him,” Rapunzel said. Clenching her fits and giving a parting frown to the tower, she made a vow. “That’s a promise.”


	2. You'll Lose Your Faith and Lose Your Soul, Till You Lose Complete Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings:
> 
> -Emotional Manipulation  
> -Brief/slightly graphic depictions of injuries

Ten minutes into Varian’s first full day as prisoner, he’d paced a circuit around his enclosure exactly eighty-three times. The headache still niggled at the back of his hotwired brain and his chest felt unbelievably sore but he’d suffered through worse injuries without it affecting his work in disastrous ways.

The half-moon shape of the cell averaged five steps on one side and six on the other. Based on the distance of his strides, the mental math told him the floor space equaled approximately 76.5 square feet. Then, estimating the height, he eventually came to the conclusion that he had a total of 1644.842 cubic feet to himself—calculating for the curved top that met with the wall, of course.

With that sorted, Varian officially had nothing to distract him.

His hands shook with pent up energy, picking at the seams on his gloves and tapping out dissonant rhythms on whatever surface available. The bag that had been stolen with him didn’t contain anything interesting enough to keep his attention for longer than a few minutes. Books he’d read so often they bored him now and chemicals he already knew every possible combination of. Nothing that could disentangle him from his current imprisonment.

Except the small vial of amber solution hidden in the inner pocket. But Varian couldn’t think of a stupider idea besides trying to bite through the bars.

So, he paced. His jaw tightened like a stubborn screw each time the miniscule area forced him to turn, the twinge in his ribs forbidding any deep introspection as he did. Cassandra had disappeared after locking him away and hadn’t returned since. Which would relieve him if he could stop craving the company for twelve seconds.

He missed Ruddiger. He missed his dad and his lab. He missed his friends and their wild adventures. He hated being caged like an animal—tagged and dressed for slaughter.

Varian completed another circuit and spun on his heel; this time, the flash of heat across his chest finally ignited the spark of frustration he’d kindled with every step.

With a head full of fuzzy recklessness and searing anger, Varian kicked and pulled at the bars. The strikes shook his limbs and sent blue crackles across the sharp angles of the vine-like stone while the toes of his boots threatened to cave in, jarring his toes painfully as his shoulders protested the brash discharge of rage. His anger skyrocketed as the unbreakable stone refused to yield until he screamed futilely at his prison.

This was _pointless._ If he hadn’t convinced Cassandra not to fight Rapunzel he might have already escaped and helped plan the next move. Maybe he’d only stopped them from talking face to face and reconciling. Maybe he’d doomed himself to slowly rotting in a cell by himself because he wanted to be a hero.

He jerked the bars sharply, fingers slipping as his pain spiked. A short-lived gasp tore out of his throat before he hit the floor, the air rushing back out and aggravating the wound which had been desperately trying to flag him down.

Stumbling backwards, Varian pressed his hand against the waves of agony that came with each breath. Maybe he shouldn’t have ignored this for so long. Or at least not provoked it by throwing himself at a wall.

Varian took a breath before shakily unbuttoning his vest. He probably couldn’t fix the problem—or diagnose it. But now that it had his attention, he would drive himself crazy not knowing anything at all.

Gulping down his discomfort, Varian opened his shirt. It…could be worse. Even if looking at it made the edges of his vision blur. Overnight, his skin had bruised into a splotchy portrait of purple and blue, spread out across his chest like the milky way. Experimental fingers prodded at the tender area, eliciting winces and aches with every poke. No blood, at least.

On the subject, he explored the back of his head, where a lump had formed. This, at least, didn’t worry him since it didn’t take a lot of force to knock him out. Getting knocked unconscious actually happened with frightening regularity: botched experiments, tripping over his own feet, and once when his father accidentally slammed a door into his face. Based on the time it took for the floor to right itself and how badly the headache pounded his skull, he put this at an eight on the Varian-trauma scale. Still not fun, but manageable for the most part.

His analysis pointed to a concussion and bruised ribs, if not broken bones. Which would be annoying but overall fine if this had happened at home. Instead, he’d slept against an unyielding wall, with no pillow or blanket, and likely wouldn’t have access to a physician or medical supplies for a while.

He rubbed at his eyes, tiredness tugging at his frayed edges. No way to escape, an overcontrolling jailer, and now he had to deal with being sore and in pain too. Face in his hands and anguishing over his situation, Varian only noticed the doors to the throne room had opened when Cassandra started talking.

“Wake up, kid. I’ve got breakfast. And don’t you dare complain that it’s not—”

Varian scrambled to close his shirt. The movement jarred the swollen skin, forcing him to bite his tongue to prevent a yelp from escaping. How had he managed to ignore this before? Had she noticed?

Judging by Cassandra’s narrowed glare and the tightened grasp on the bag she held, he estimated that to be a yes.

Her jabbing accusation swept aside whatever she had been saying. “What are you hiding?”

He winced, shoulders caving inwards. “Uh, w-what do you mean? Just, um, airing out the pits. Been wearing the same clothes for a few days and—ahem—you know, very smelly!”

His rambling excuse didn’t slow her advance. The bars of his cell receded smoothly as she stomped through, dropping the bag carelessly to the floor. Varian cringed backward as her clawed hand reached for him.

Cassandra ripped his hands away, tearing a pained yelp from his throat before he could bite down on it. The vice grip on his wrists released as his shirt fell open. Cassandra jerked away from him as if his touch had burned through her indestructible gloves.

Exposed, Varian swallowed his embarrassment and tried to gauge his kidnapper’s reaction. She stared at the bruise with lips parted with horror.

Despite the circumstances, Varian felt a spark of hope. He remembered a time when he inspected the queen’s ankle, chaffed raw from the chains he’d put there, and felt nothing at all. But Cassandra? She could still feel sympathy.

The shock dissipated as a hesitant scowl battled against it. “Did you do this to yourself? Trying to escape?”

Varian rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I did this. With the paper in my bag and all the weapons in my empty cell. Seriously? How do you think I got this?” He gestured widely to the haphazard rocks in the room behind her.

Without something to project her anger at, Cassandra spluttered for an excuse, focus flicking between his ribs and her rocks. “This is your fault,” she insisted. “If you hadn’t pushed—”

“Really?” he cut her off. “You’re trying to blame me for provoking you?” He started crossing his arms before aborting the motion halfway through with a wince.

“Shut up,” she snapped, with no real heat to it. “Just shut up. I’m not the villain here. You got in my way. This isn’t my fault.”

Tired of arguing when he knew she couldn’t be convinced, Varian sighed. “Sure it’s not, Cassie.”

“It’s not,” she said, jaw locking tightly. “Just…eat your food and don’t cause any trouble.” The cage hadn’t even sealed completely before Cassandra retreated from the throne room.

Varian carefully buttoned his shirt back up as he considered the interaction. Guilt. He knew it well. Silence as she processed where the blame laid, deflection, and finally running away from the problem.

Could he use this? Play the wounded rabbit and let her shame grow? Her reaction proved that the old Cassandra still existed. That somewhere, deep inside, she still cared about people. Even if she didn’t want to admit it.

Cautiously, he picked up Cassandra’s abandoned cloth bag and opened it up. A modest meal of an apple and a bit of bread stared back at him.

With a smile on his face, he bit into the fruit, the taste of home exploding across his tongue.

He could still save her.

***

Varian couldn’t say he enjoyed the confrontations with Cassandra, but at least they staved off the sheer, utter boredom that replaced her presence. Pacing, his go-to movement with no projects to work on, proved to be a bad idea as it irritated the pain in his chest after ten loops. He couldn’t write either. With the limited supply of paper and charcoal in his bag, he didn’t want to waste them in case Pascal popped in again. Which left him propped up against the wall in the least painful position he could find, tracing lazy equations across his legs and contemplating what he would tell his dad when he eventually returned home.

Hey Dad, I know you told me not to get involved in the whole Moonstone thing with the princess but I kinda did that anyway. Again. Hope you’re not too mad. Also don’t worry about me disappearing for a while and getting beat up. I’m fine. You should see the other guy.

Yeah, he would keep working on it.

Shifting rocks alerted him to Cassandra’s entrance. In her hands, she clenched a bag tightly as her jaw set into a frown. Without preamble, the bars to Varian’s cell receded to allow her passage. She met his baffled gaze, crouching to his level on the floor before ordering, “Take off your shirt.”

The sarcasm on his tongue withered. He squeaked, “What?”

She glowered him, as if asserting her irritation would make the situation less awkward. “I can’t have you breaking a rib or something. So, take your shirt off.”

Varian crossed his arms over his chest protectively, ignoring the stretch of pain from the motion. “And if I refuse?”

Her scowl could set villages ablaze. “Do not test me on this one.”

Sensing the lost battle, Varian sighed and undid the buttons to his vest. He’d wanted this, right? She would feel guilty for her actions, see the err of her ways and they would laugh over all the stupid decisions she had been making.

Once again, Cassandra went rigid at the sight of his exposed bruise. Her brows slowly scrunched together as she inspected the damage, as if her sheer regret could heal it instantly.

When the staring contest between Cassandra and the swollen catastrophe beneath his collarbone stretched on, Varian awkwardly cleared his throat.

She flinched and leaned away, a reflexive “sorry” falling from her lips. After some hesitance, Cassandra flexed her hand, the armor receding to her wrist in silent response. She reached out to him and only when he recoiled did her attention flick back to him.

Her jaw clenched. “I’m going to check you for broken ribs. Just stay still.”

Heart leaping into his throat—because, oh, that sounds bad—he peered at her bare hand distrustfully. “Do I have a choice?”

“Considering I have no way to save your life if one of your ribs punctures a lung later, I’m gonna go with no.”

He sighed and bobbed his head in acceptance. “Be my guest.”

Without waiting for him to grimace at how stupid that sounded, Cassandra prodded at the edges of his purple stain.

Sucking in a gasp, it took all of Varian’s willpower not to whimper as Cassandra harshly massaged the tender area straight down to the bone. His skin depressed like the thin layer of an abused apple, the mush inside squishing grossly.

He tried to ignore the pain, biting his lip and breathing through his nose. Cassandra clearly didn’t care about being gentle, but her methodical motions indicated that she’d done this before. It reminded him of when she and Rapunzel first sought him out in Old Corona and he’d gotten hurt. She’d roughly examined his wound then as well, chastising him for being inattentive and locking eyes as she asked where the worst discomfort stemmed from.

“I’m almost done,” she said gruffly, though she ignored his searching gaze.

With a sinking heart, he remembered why he’d slept in a cage that night. That Cassandra kept him alive and trapped because she wanted to use him. Did she tend to him because her kindness hadn’t been completely burned by retribution or because she couldn’t manipulate him if he died?

By the time Cassandra leaned away, Varian no longer felt embarrassed. Only fathomlessly sad.

The tension slowly bled from her neck and shoulders as she gave him her conclusion with military precision. “Good news, no broken bones. From what I can tell, they’re only bruised. You shouldn’t move around too much and you need to stay hydrated, but there’s no reason you wouldn’t recover normally.”

As she dove into the bag she’d brought, Varian couldn’t help but ask, “Where did you learn to check for broken ribs?”

“You learn a lot about injuries when you train with the royal guard,” she said, voice low as if imparting a secret. Or an admission.

Cassandra pulled out a bowl with a cloth tied over the top, two rolls of dressings, and a few water skins. As she laid the items out on the floor between them, Varian studied the container curiously.

“What’s that?” he asked, ignoring the voice telling him to stop asking questions.

“Something to help you heal.” She undid the twine around the bowl and peeled off the cloth, revealing a tan paste that reeked of medicinal herbs. “Do you think you can put it on yourself?”

Varian nodded, relieved she gave him the choice. “Yeah, I can manage.” The little bowl exchanged hands, their fingers brushing long enough for him to realize she hadn’t replaced the armor there. Gathering a glob of the cool cream, he began to apply it where the ache pierced the deepest.

“Be a little more liberal with that,” Cassandra instructed, scrutinizing him even as she maintained distance.

“Where did you get this?” he questioned, scooping up a bigger portion.

“I didn’t make it, if that’s what you’re asking,” she said, halfway through an eye roll before snapping her attention back.

He managed a half-shrug before a twinge of pain flared up. “I hear you learn a thing or two when you train with the royal guard.” At her slow scowl, he rapidly backtracked. “Did you steal it?”

She shuffled awkwardly. “No, I borrowed it.”

“You borrowed the medicine I’m currently using?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Are you really in a position to complain?” she grumbled back.

“Just didn’t think you would stoop to stealing from healers,” he said as nonchalantly as possible.

“Borrowing,” she growled thinly. “Like you can talk.”

“At least I admit that I stole stuff,” he answered. Shame dogged the steps of the horrible decisions he’d made a year ago. All except his theft of the Sundrop flower, which he’d continue to quietly justify. It’d revealed so much treachery and no one got hurt so how could he bring himself to regret it?

“Pretty sure when you steal a national treasure it’s considered treason, not thievery,” she pointed out. “Raise your arms.”

Varian wiped off the cream on his fingers back into the bowl and tried to comply. His hands couldn’t lift any further than his shoulders but Cassandra started wrapping the gauze anyway.

“King Frederick would consider someone mucking up his shoes treason if he could,” he muttered bitterly.

“The royal family is uptight, full of secrets, and doesn’t care for the common citizen,” she added, her touch gentle as she wound the dressing across his chest.

“Hear hear,” he agreed bitterly.

Cassandra tucked in the first gauze and leaned back to gather the second. A smile threated to tug her lips upwards. “You know, it’s all the people in that castle who are selfish like that. Not just the King.”

With a start, Varian realized he’d been baited. He bit his lip, silently berating himself as Cassandra continued to bandage him.

“Rapunzel’s not like that,” he said rebelliously. Then, before Cassandra could snap at the use of the princess’s name, he added, “You weren’t like that.”

Cassandra tugged the gauze tightly. “Rapunzel is more of a condescending, selfish, perfectionist than you know. And even if you manage to meet her standards, she doesn’t care about the hard work you put in to meet them. She doesn’t care about the sacrifices you have to make for her. All she cares about is herself and how much everyone adores her.”

“That’s not true!” he snapped. “She saved my dad!” His arms shook from keeping them elevated.

“After she condemned both him and you!” she reminded him sharply.

His mouth closed with a _clack_ of his teeth. “That’s…!”

Cassandra sat back after tying off the dressings, her ire melting into smugness. “I don’t want to fight, Varian. I want us to be friends again. That’s what you want too, right?”

Something didn’t feel right. “I…yes, I do.”

“Right,” she practically purred. Then paused, attention flicking to the half-empty pot of salve. The gears turned behind her bright, cyan eyes for a moment before she smiled. “You know what? Because we’re friends, I’m going to give you something.”

Unease settled in Varian’s stomach. “Is this a new alchemy set or another concussion kind of present?”

Ignoring him, she stood and sauntered to the walls of his prison. “You shouldn’t be moving too much while you’re healing, but this should be fine.” She flung her arms out, as if throwing open a set of doors, and the bars to his cell completely receded into the walls. Then, she spun to fix him with a sharp smile. “There. Now you’re free to walk around the throne room whenever you want.”

Varian carefully schooled his expression as his brain accelerated frantically. Clearly, she expected him to be grateful for this wonderful ‘gift’ between friends. As if a bigger cage would have him swooning and swearing his loyalty to her. And the worst part? The destruction of the bars really did fill him with disgusting relief.

Unsure whether to play along or call her out for the blatant attempt at manipulation, Varian opted for a third option. “I thought you said I shouldn’t move around too much? Kind of hard to enjoy the space when I’m stuck in a corner.”

The forced niceties cracked as Cassandra frowned, her arms dropping to her sides. She said, “I know you don’t like it here. But you will. You’ll understand soon. And if you’re good, I’ll even bring you some books or blankets.”

What was that phrase again? A gilded cage? Tightly shutting away his anxiety, he grinned back at her. “Bring me a couple vials of hydrochloric acid and aluminum and we’ll talk.”

Cassandra raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “I won’t pretend I have any idea what those are, but knowing you they are now the last things you will ever get your hands on.”

“Unappreciated but deserving,” he answered snarkily.

For a moment, he saw a smile, a real smile, crest her lips. Then, just like that, it disappeared and his unfeeling captor returned. “Rest up. Drink some water. And don’t do anything stupid.”

“Can’t make any promises,” he answered automatically.

She snorted, and Varian might even dare to say it wasn’t condescending.

***

Eugene had promised he wouldn’t try to talk her out of cluing Quirin in on the situation. Which meant he hadn’t stopped doing so since they set out for Old Corona that morning.

Biting her tongue hard enough to leave a dent, Rapunzel tried not to snap at him. But after an hour of riding with nothing but negativity, she couldn’t help the choking irritation climbing up her throat.

“—so I’m not saying we should have brought guards with us, but we should at least have invited Lance. I mean, we can arm Maximus, but from what Dad has told me about the Brotherhood in its prime, we might want to come up with a plan to—”

“We’re not fighting him, Eugene,” she growled through clenched teeth.

Blessed silence. The horse’s hooves on the dirt road pounded a steady beat and she found herself counting Fidella’s steps. Huge, leafy trees passed by them at an even pace, throwing disjointed shade over the road. Flowers peeked up between roots and in patches, growing away from the path where they would be trampled by passing travelers. Rapunzel breathed in the nature, agitation leaking out with the exhale. Then Maximus pulled up beside her and she knew the peace wouldn’t last.

“Hey, Rapunzel.”

Renewed aggravation rolled off her in waves. “What?”

“Had any lemonade recently?”

That finally got her to look at him, wrinkling her nose at the suggestion. “Lemonade? No, why?”

Eugene tipped his head towards her, a hesitant smile on his face. “Because you’re acting like someone slipped you some of Xavier’s personality potion.”

She turned her scowl down to her hands, which gripped the reins in white knuckles. “Why? Is Cass the only one who’s allowed to be angry?”

Startled, Eugene and Maximus both paused before catching up again. “Of course not,” the rider assured her quickly. “I’ve just…never seen you so…”

“Angry? Mad? _Furious?_ ” she offered, the enraged thistle of her emotions slicing and strangling any positivity that threatened to grow. “How could I not be? Cassandra was _right there_. And she didn’t even come out to talk to us! She stole the Moonstone, attacked Corona with the red rocks, ruined your birthday party, _kidnapped Varian,_ and when we finally caught up to her she wouldn’t even let us in! I thought I knew her but—but what if I’m wrong? What if she’s too far gone? What if this isn’t because of the Moonstone’s influence and she’s actually…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said quickly and, when that made her scrunch her face in despair, he changed tactics. “It _will_ be okay.”

She made a sound somewhere between a growl and a whimper. “And what if it’s not? What if we can’t get her back?”

Uneasiness laced Eugene’s short hum. “The Cassandra I know is stubborn, brave, and bullheaded. That’s something we’ve known ever since we met her. She hasn’t changed, not really, she’s just… misguided. Like… a thief with nothing to believe in.”

Peeking up at him hesitantly, Rapunzel saw apprehension as he stared out at the houses of Old Corona cresting the hill ahead of them. Eugene was taking this hard as well. And instead of stepping over Rapunzel’s toes and reaching out to Cassandra himself, he’d stood back, allowing her to lead the way.

Her heart clenched, the rage surrounding it yielding like bramble pried off of a wilting tree. Not enough to incite growth, but enough to give it a chance. Cassandra’s actions affected others besides herself. Eugene mourned the loss of their friend as well.

“What are we supposed to do then?” she asked with a huff.

Then Eugene gave her a _look_. One that communicated so much raw emotion and provided an unguarded window straight to his gentle heart. “We give her something else to believe in.”

The bitterness in Rapunzel’s voice withered. “Easier said than done.”

“You’re telling me. But sometimes these things come from surprising places. Or people.”

She let out a slow breath, the dead clippings of her anger going with it. The hole Cassandra’s betrayal left made it hard to remember her other friends still supported her. But Eugene remained by her side and he wanted Cassandra back just as much as she did.

Quirin’s new house emerged between the apple trees. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably at the sight. Despite being adamant about telling him what happened, Rapunzel’s apprehension weighed heavily on her head. No one would want to tell a father that his son had been hurt and kidnapped.

They dismounted from Maximus and Fidella. Eugene briefly whispered to her about leaving their reins loose in case they needed to make a quick getaway, but she refused.

Rapunzel knocked on the door. Eugene shuffled uncomfortably next to her as she held her breath, waiting for it to open. It didn’t.

After a bit more knocking, they admitted he probably wasn’t in the house and took a tour around the grounds. Not in the pumpkin patch nearby where the squash swelled with ripeness. Not around Varian’s restored yet empty lab either. They set off into the expansive apple orchard next, Rapunzel’s steps hesitating more and more the further they traveled.

Finally, they found him, obliviously cutting apples down from a lush tree with a tool that extended into the branches and snipped the stems with a pair of clippers at the end. As they approached him, an apple fell, bouncing off a branch and landing perfectly in Quirin’s outstretched hand before he deposited it in a crate full of the succulent fruits.

He set down the tool and faced them as they approached, raising his eyebrows in short surprise before dipping into a low bow. “Princess Rapunzel, Prince Eugene, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Eugene grimaced at the title. Apparently, no one had told Quirin his newfound status hadn’t entirely settled with him yet.

Rapunzel wrung her hands. So much she yearned to say itched at the tip of her tongue. Explaining what happened to the Moonstone. Informing him of his son’s current situation. She wanted to assure him they would do everything in their power to get Varian back first. But it wouldn’t make sense to lead with that, so the words jumbled and no sound came out.

Both of the men watched her worriedly. They waited and waited. They needed her to say something. She needed to be in control.

But she couldn’t. She just couldn’t.

Eugene jumped in, shooting her distressed glances as he spoke. “We have something we need to tell you, Quirin. But you’re, ah, not going to like it.”

It took a moment, but his face fell with understanding and his brows furrowed with worry. His attention straying to the tool he’d been using to collect apples from the tree.

“It’s about Varian,” Eugene confirmed.

“Is he…” he took a breath, and then his gaze met Rapunzel’s and her heart bled. Father and son had completely different eyes in both color and shape, yet she couldn’t help but recognize Varian’s expression in his. Specifically, from the day Varian arrived to the castle during the blizzard. Pain, fear, and anguish all wrapped in one. A desperate need for an answer that he didn’t want to hear.

“He’s alive,” she said quietly.

Quirin staggered. His hand covered his face, head ducked as he recomposed himself. Then he rubbed his eyes, the wrinkles there stretching, and nodded to them. “Maybe we should go inside.”

“We need to get back to the castle,” Eugene said quickly, glancing at Rapunzel for confirmation. “Rapunzel just wanted to tell you what happened herself.”

“Quirin,” she said, her words less jumbled now, “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for pulling Varian into all of this. I know that you weren’t happy about him coming to the palace to translate the scroll.”

“I didn’t agree. But Varian is…” His frown became wistful and pained all at once. “He’s grown. And I can’t keep holding him back. He made the decision to help you and I didn’t interfere.” He stared at her as if to say ‘please don’t tell me I was wrong in doing so.’

But she couldn’t lie. Quirin needed to know.

“Cassandra—” she started, her best friend’s name foreign on her tongue, “she stole the Moonstone from the Dark Kingdom. She’s created an unbreakable fortress out of the rocks with her new powers. One we can’t enter.” She hesitated at the next part. A moment later, Eugene’s fingers wrapped around her own. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. “Varian’s there. In the tower with Cassandra.”

Quirin frowned. “By choice?” he asked with trepidation.

“No,” she said.

His hands clenched so tightly if he were still holding the gizmo it would have snapped in half. “Kidnapped, then?”

“Yes,” she confirmed, voice shaking.

“Where is this fortress?”

Eugene stepped forward, speaking carefully as if talking down an enraged bear protecting its young. “Cassandra has the Moonstone and complete control over the rocks. It’s not safe to be anywhere near her.”

“Then that goes doubly for my son. I have a right to know where he’s been taken.” Quirin said, voice harsher with every word and back straightening into that of a trained knight. A fierce and relentless power, like a landslide bulldozing their protests out of the way.

The royal couple traded unsure glances. Rapunzel answered, “It’s in the grotto where my old tower used to stand.”

Despite how tensely he held himself, Quirin managed a quick bow before gathering his things. With the crate of apples and gizmo balanced in his arms, he hurried towards his house.

Rapunzel and Eugene stumbled to keep up with him.

“Wait, you can’t just go after them,” she said. She wanted to give him comfort somehow, touch his shoulder, give him a hug. But, as she reached out, the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

“I’m one of the Brotherhood of the Dark Kingdom,” he rumbled. “If there is anyone who understands the Moonstone’s power then it is us.”

“Maybe,” Rapunzel said, running ahead to stand before him, “But you don’t know Cassandra, not like we do. Please, we will get Varian back. I won’t rest until he’s returned to the castle, safe and sound. But you have to trust us.”

He remained stoic, enough that he stomped straight past her without a glance. “Varian is my son. What father would I be if I stood by and did nothing while he is in danger?”

Rapunzel watched as he disappeared through his front door, slamming the door so hard the rafters shook and the birds on the roof took flight. She winced.

Eugene placed a hand on her shoulder. “That went…better than I expected.”

“He could get himself killed,” she said quietly, unable to stop staring at the house. The house that couldn’t be a home with one of its occupants missing.

“He’s a tough guy,” Eugene assured her. “He’s probably been in more fights than either of us could count. And if he’s anything like Adira then Cassandra can’t take him down so easily. At worst, he makes her mad, gets a rock to the face, and lets us take care of the situation from there.”

“Cassandra’s stronger than she used to be,” Rapunzel argued weakly.

“Yes, but so are we,” Eugene assured her. “And no matter how much she thinks she can win this war, we’ll still make it out together.”

She flicked her attention to the lab attached to the house. Her heart clenched as she wondered when those doors would next be opened. “I hope so.”

***

Cassandra took a deep breath and shot her hands out, the spark of cold energy rushing from the Moonstone and solidifying into a wave of rocks. They crashed into the huge slab which jutted from the ground like a black monolith. The attack shattered as it hit the boulder, taking a chunk of the façade with it. Broken pieces joined a pile of others on the ground, each as sharp and large as a great sword.

In the past, the grotto’s beauty couldn’t be denied. The waterfall casting sparkling droplets across the lush grass, wildflowers crowding together in colorful clumps, and the cliffsides that warmed in the sunshine. Now, sharp rocks joined the rubble of Rapunzel’s old tower, crushing the flowers and grass, and long gashes carved into the cliffs where Cassandra practiced her swordplay.

“Are you done playing around yet?” the ghostly girl asked, her ethereal voice echoing with boredom.

“I’m training,” Cassandra said, frowning at the damage from her last attack. Less than expected. She flung out her arms again, the rocks smashing into the same spot. Definitely a smaller scar than the previous ones. Scowling, she flexed her hands and tried to think of what she’d done differently.

“You’re focusing too much on finesse and forgetting the root of your power,” the girl cooed.

“I like control,” Cassandra bitterly returned. Controlled breathing, stances, and emotions. A steady hand, sword, and heart, her father had told her when he’d caught her watching the royal guard training.

But then he betrayed her. Just like Rapunzel and everyone else in Corona. But his hurt the worst. From the beginning, he kept the truth of her ancestry from her. And when he confronted her, he dared accuse _her_ of keeping secrets and pushing people around.

She should hate everything he taught her. Every lesson in morality, swing of the sword, and ounce of control he’d instilled in her over the years.

Her arms flew out in the same arc. This time, the attack took only a single chunk from the stone slab.

“You need to channel your anger,” the ghost girl drawled. “Any other emotions won’t draw out the power. You can’t afford to relax.”

“I’m not relaxing,” Cassandra snapped, rounding on her. “What about this looks like I’m relaxing?” A spike stabbed through the ground and into the monolith, answering her rage without an order. She snarled. “You see? What if that happens when I’m fighting Rapunzel?”

The ghost sniffed disdainfully at her. “As long as you are able to fight then you will win. Focus your anger on Rapunzel and the Moonstone will respond in kind.”

Cassandra shook her head, gesturing to the slab, now skewered through the center. “And what if that was a person?”

Drawing close, the girl stared at her with the intensity of a frozen lake – threatening to drag her beneath the surface and suffocate her with icy water. “Does that really matter when destiny is within your reach? Would you let a stranger stand between you and Rapunzel?”

“No,” Cassandra growled.

“Then why are you so infatuated with perfect control? It will come in time, just as the incantation did. Soon you will command the rocks without even the need to gesture. But we needn’t wait that long to face the Sundrop. You are ready now.”

“I’m not,” she hissed, stalking to the monolith.

“You would doubt yourself?”

“No.” She pulled the sword off of her back. “But we’re not doing it. Not yet.” Her weapon sliced through a piece of rubble perfectly.

The ghost girl clucked her tongue. “And why, pray tell, is that?”

Huffing, Cassandra surveyed the area for another chunk of rock to decimate. “I just got the enchantment, I clearly need to get better as using the stone, and Varian is close to joining our side. Once that’s happened, then we can come up with a plan to storm Corona and take the palace for ourselves.”

“Do you really believe taking down the whole of Corona would be easier than putting a princess in her place?” the girl asked, her voice eerily level.

Cassandra mulled that over. Marching straight into Corona with an army of automatons sounded vindicating. But it would mean they would have to fight not only the guard but the stubborn citizens and Rapunzel herself all at once.

She ran a hand through her hair, the reinforced gloves scraping her scalp. Despite how much she enjoyed fighting, strategy had never been a strong suit of hers. Leave that to the stuffy book snobs while she manned the frontlines. Though now, she had no clue how to come up with her own plan, let alone guess what Rapunzel’s retaliation would be.

Rubbing her forehead, she groaned. She needed Varian to see things her way. He’d single-handedly made everyone in Corona run around in circles trying to keep up with him. If he could stop being so stubborn then they could finally get somewhere.

“Fine,” she said, hardly remembering what she’d agreed to after all the mental gymnastics. “But I’m still training. I’m not about to lose any battles because I don’t know the full extent of my abilities.”

“Then give the boy the Demanitus Scroll,” the ghost said, drifting like a snowflake in the breeze.

“No,” she said smoothly. It had been confiscated in the first place because Varian could make a stick and a rubber band dangerous let alone an ancient scroll full of spells.

“And what of the fourth incantation?” the girl whispered, voice tantalizing. “You already have so much power from the third one, imagine what incredible strength the fourth could lend you.”

“What if the fourth incantation isn’t for the Moonstone?” she demanded, planting her sword in the ground irritably. Though she knew the unbreakable material couldn’t be chipped or rusted by dirt, the part of her that took strenuous care to keep her weapons in good condition quaked. “What if it’s for the Sundrop and letting Varian translate it would just give Rapunzel more power?”

The ghost girl answered easily. “The first two incantations were for the Sundrop. Meaning the other two should be for the Moonstone, correct?”

It did make sense. She grunted in acknowledgement. “Maybe. But I still don’t want Varian to translate it right now.”

“It would be a good test of his loyalties,” the ghost purred.

Cassandra scoffed and pulled the sword out of the earth. A shock of blue energy raced from the hilt to the tip, burning away the debris stuck to the sides. Every imperfection eradicated and leaving only the sharp edges. “He’s not loyal to me. But he’s getting there. I can tell. It won’t be too long until he’ll be begging to help.”

The girl tracked Cassandra’s hasty steps back to the tower. Her eyes narrowed. “I certainly hope you’re right.”

***

Sneaking out alone, Rapunzel decided, didn’t give nearly the same rush that sneaking out with your best friend did. Doubly so when the guards caught you and just said, “Oh, very sorry, my queen. How are you this evening?”

Leading Fidella off the path and into the woods, Rapunzel dropped her hood and shook her hair free. Her fingers trailed on the worn fabric and embroidery for a moment before returning to the reins. So many adventures had begun with this disguise, chasing after Cassandra through the streets, holding her breath to keep the giggles in.

Her chest ached. Those memories dogged her thoughts these days. Back when she didn’t have nearly so many responsibilities. When everyone didn’t look to her for all the answers. When she could explore freely and just enjoy being herself.

From her shoulder, Pascal chirped. She smiled and raised a hand to cup him against her cheek. Even when everything crumbled around her and the ocean of misery threatened to suffocate her, Pascal provided a small respite.

He’d been eager to help after she’d explained her plans for the evening. The letter she’d written even had an inky chameleon print at the bottom of the paper. It made her heart swell; reminded once again that she still had friends to support her.

Recognizing the cliff up ahead, she pulled up on Fidella’s reins until they idled before a portion of the rocks covered in hanging ivy. She patted the horse on her neck then swung off the saddle. “Thank you, girl, but we’d better go alone for the rest of the way.”

Fidella snorted noisily and butted her shoulder.

Smiling, Rapunzel rubbed her head. “We’ll be fine. Just wait here for us, okay?” A crease of worry still circled Fidella’s eyes, but she backed off enough to let Rapunzel tiptoe through the curtain of vines.

Stepping into the grotto, she breathed in the moonlight. Her surroundings seemed unrecognizable from here on the ground rather than up in her tower. She saw the cliffs and water at an angle that stood at odds with her memories, the silvery light of the moon sparkling off the waterfall in diamond droplets and the skyline more jagged than before. Not to mention the tall, black fortress that jutted out where the pale stone of her childhood once settled.

So familiar, and yet not.

Stepping up to the black, sheer face of the tower, Rapunzel fished around in her bag for the letter she’d painstakingly written earlier. She’d selected the thinnest tipped quill she could find and crafted each word carefully to provide as many words as possible on the small paper. Pascal had worn himself out last time, and while she knew he could climb to the top of the tower again, she wouldn’t overburden him with any more than necessary.

At the end of the letter, after rows of promises, apologies, and explanations, she had added a brief plea to make his writing more legible. She’d tried to sound aloof, but really she just yearned to read the words “I’m okay” straight from him, rather than having Lance translate it for her.

Pascal took the note and saluted proudly before beginning his climb. Rapunzel watched until the darkness swallowed him. Bless that chameleon.

With nothing to distract herself, Rapunzel rubbed her arms and took a few steps back to sit on a stray boulder. The moon silhouetted the fortress perfectly, it’s rounded face stabbed by the spires of the tower like a pale hors d’oeuvres. What room did Cassandra sleep in? What about Varian? She couldn’t imagine either of them had a bed, or a fireplace to keep them warm. Her heart sunk as an image of her friends came to mind, balled up on the stone floors, trying and failing to rest.

She wrapped her arms around her stomach but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the tower of darkness. Did her parents feel like this after her kidnapping? Did they pray for a miracle because they had nothing else to wish for? Did they wonder whether she slept and ate well? Did they crave a single word from her just to know she hadn’t lost the strength to speak? Did they question whether her kidnapper could ever atone?

Tears blurred her vision before she could blink them away. She wanted Varian back, safe and sound. Doing weird experiments in the castle basements and eagerly sharing new discoveries with anyone who would listen. She wanted to drag him away from his chemical sets to have tea and recommend books to one another. She wanted to catch Team Awesome planning pranks for the stuffy, visiting nobility and pretend she didn’t hear anything.

But she also ached to have Cassandra return. She wanted to duck out of their duties together to go riding along Corona’s walls. She wanted to talk about anything and everything until they forgot time even existed. She wanted a sister to depend on again.

Did she have to choose between her friends? Could her heart ache for Varian’s position and not consider Cassandra to be a monster? Could she believe in Cassandra’s redemption and not dismiss Varian’s pain?

The expression on Quirin’s face appeared in her mind. Of the determined righteousness held in place by years of training and the love of a father. He harnessed his emotions like a weapon, clamping a chain leash on them and wielding their strength to propel him forward. Perhaps they would drag him straight into more pain, but at least he would be accomplishing something.

She had, reluctantly, told Varian about the encounter with his father in the letter. Although perhaps she’d been optimistic in describing his reaction for the sake of not sending the poor boy into a panic. But he deserved to know his father missed him just as much as the rest of them did.

Varian deserved more hope. She knew how scarce it could be when locked in a tower.

A squeak drew her gaze down from where she sightlessly stared at the fortress. Pascal peered up at her, worry lining the creases of weariness that climbing to the top of the spire wrought him with.

Hurriedly, she scooped him up and he peeped at her, patting her cheek in comfort. Rapunzel touched her face, realizing belatedly that wet tracks lined from her eyes to her chin. She hadn’t realized she’d been crying.

Wiping any evidence of imperfection, she rushed to comfort him. “I’m so sorry, Pascal. I was just…thinking and it got a little out of hand. Are you alright?”

He smiled tiredly at her before offering up the leaf of paper tied to his back. Dropping it into her hands, he nuzzled her fingers.

Heart swelling so much it hurt with the strain, Rapunzel raised him to her cheek to snuggle him back. “You deserve all the grapes the castle can give you. I’ll even request that they get chopped in half, the way you like them. How does that sound?”

Pascal gave a squeak that turned into a trill as a yawn escaped him. Smiling sweetly at her best friend, Rapunzel tucked him into place in her bag.

“Maybe we can get those grapes in the morning? You rest for now.”

Despite his exhaustion, Pascal grinned proudly at her, then promptly curled up in the warmest corner of her bag and drifted off to sleep.

Gently folding the flap down, she moved onto the delivered letter. Rapunzel swiftly shifted so the writing could be seen by the light of the moon. She would light her lantern, but the thought of garnering unwanted attention had her shivering in the dark.

Squinting at the handwriting, she noticed immediately that she could actually read it this time. Unlike her small writing, however, Varian’s was large and written in charcoal, which smudged under her fingers. In several spots, scribbles tried to cover half-made sentences, though she could still make out the gist of it.

_-Rapunzel_

__

_~~Thank you fo I wish I cou Please don~~ _ _Cassandra is angry at you. Like, really angry. But I don’t think she really wants to hurt anyone else. She’s mad and she keeps talking to herself. I think it’s the influence of the Moonstone. ~~I’m not sure if she would let me go, even if I asked.~~_

__

_~~That sounds lik Don’t let my da~~ _ _Tell Dad I’m sorry. He’s probably worried but I had to do what I could. ~~I couldn’t watch her turn into me~~ I don’t want to give up on her yet._

_I know you’re probably already taking care of Ruddiger, but please tell him that I’m okay. ~~I really miss him.~~ He likes apples and chocolate, but don’t feed him too much because he’ll eat everything in the castle if you let him._

_Tell me if you guys come up with a plan. I’ll just, you know, hang out here in the meantime._

_-Varian_

Rapunzel folded the letter neatly before tucking it into her bag next to the first one, careful not to disrupt Pascal. She should give the letters to Quirin. But she just…couldn’t. Holding this small piece of proof that he still breathed kept her from slamming her fists against the tower and screaming at Cassandra to _talk to her._

Biting her lip, Rapunzel rose slowly from the rock and studied the black spire. The darkness of the night hid the features of the tower, melting the spires together like liquid tar dripping upside-down into the sky.

Varian had better be prepared for the biggest hug of his life when she finally rescued him. If he didn’t bruise even a little bit then she needed to squeeze harder.

But for now, she couldn’t stay here. She’d noticed all the black rocks in the area: giant boulders strewn about like marbles spilled from a ripped bag. She shivered as she imagined what could have possibly broken the indestructible stone into such large chunks.

The words from the letter burned in her mind. Cassandra hated her. But why? Because Gothel had abandoned Cass as a child in favor of kidnapping another child? That couldn’t be right. In the Dark Kingdom, the only explanation she’d offered up centered around her connection to the witch, but something like pining over an abusive mother didn’t clarify her betrayal.

With the exhaustion of the day settling on her shoulders, Rapunzel sighed and ran a gentle hand over the strap of her worn bag. Their friendship wasn’t a lie. It couldn’t be. Rapunzel had felt Cassandra’s hugs, reveled in her smiles, lived her laughter, and trained her sword on the same enemies. And though their swords now crossed, Rapunzel couldn’t look back on those moments and think of them as anything less than real.

She had to leave. Even if her feet stuck to the ground, as if Gothel’s old command to stay in the tower still chained her to the grotto. Even if her head still pounded with ideas on how to scale the walls for a rescue mission.

But Corona needed her to be its queen while her parents recovered. Quirin needed her to be strong so he could trust her to save his son. Eugene needed her to be his hope in the world. And Ruddiger needed someone to feed him while his boy’s absence ate at them all.

With feet like blocks of iron, Rapunzel trudged back towards the tunnel. She had a duty to them. Even at the cost of someone else who needed her more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently when I said 2-3 weeks I meant 2-3 months :/
> 
> My apologies, but life happens the way it does and I worked on this when I had the ability to! I have the full plot written out for this fic so there's no way I'm not finishing it -- but I won't make promises on chapters from here on out!
> 
> Thank you for being patient and enjoying this story :)

**Author's Note:**

> So does anyone else just listen to "Nothing Left to Lose" on loop for three hours until you start speaking in lyrics and your heartbeat is in time with the music? No? Just me? Okay, cool.
> 
> I will probably update again in 2-3 weeks. This fic will be four chapters long and each chapter should be about this same length.
> 
> I love chatting about the characters and scenes in the comments if anyone wants to discuss :)
> 
> I'll see you again soon :)


End file.
